One day later.
Aoki, Slowking, and the others returned to the island, leaving the Seafloor ruins behind. Before departing, they had managed to capture a large number of Water-type Pokémon. The most frequently caught Pokémon this time were Clamperl, while the second most captured were a school of Qwilfish, numbering around a hundred in total.
Aoki had been fortunate enough to encounter an entire swarm of Qwilfish—otherwise, capturing them individually would have been far too tedious. When gathered in a group, Qwilfish are much easier to catch, though subduing them all was still a challenge. Despite their smaller numbers compared to the Clamperl, taming this group of Qwilfish proved far more troublesome.
Being a Water/Poison-type Pokémon, Qwilfish can easily inflict poison on contact. In the wild, getting poisoned is a serious hindrance. Fortunately, there were no Champion-level Qwilfish among the swarm, or the situation could have become far more difficult.
The reason for taming these Qwilfish was simple: they were a reliable source of valuable resources. While not as fast-producing as Clamperl, the items they yielded were, on average, just as valuable—if not more so.
Qwilfish naturally produce held items—Poison Barbs.
That's right, Qwilfish generate these items over time.
As keratin builds up on the spines covering their bodies, toxins from within their systems gradually seep into them. Once these spines reach their maximum length, they either fall off naturally or must be carefully removed, as leaving them attached would hinder the Qwilfish's movement.
These shed spines become the Poison Barb held items.
Though not as rare as items like Miracle Seed or Never-Melt Ice, Poison Barbs still hold significant value. For Trainers specializing in Poison-type Pokémon, these items are highly sought after.
With a steady supply of Poison Barbs, Aoki wouldn't have to worry about finding buyers. Team Rocket alone would be a massive market—many of their members use Poison-types like Zubat, Ekans, and Beedrill. Equipping them with Poison Barbs would enhance the power of their Poison-type moves.
Beyond Team Rocket, Aoki also had the Sky Hunters, ensuring another reliable sales channel. As long as he could maintain production, demand would never be an issue.
Capturing two large colonies at once meant securing two stable income sources. Combined with the Carbink colony in Verdanturf Town, Aoki now had three consistent "money mines."
In addition to the Qwilfish, Aoki had also captured several rarer Water-types, which could be raised for breeding or future trades.
Upon returning to the island, Aoki immediately set to work.
The first task was redirecting the underground river, bringing it fully to the surface. This would allow the island's Pokémon to drink the energy-rich water, greatly benefiting their growth.
Next, under the guise of training, Aoki led his Pokémon in digging two small ponds beside the island's central lake.
While Drapion was well-suited for excavation, there was now a Pokémon even more efficient at digging: Pupitar.
By manipulating its Ground-type abilities, Pupitar could carve out a sizable pond single-handedly. With the help of the other Pokémon, the process was even faster.
The two ponds served distinct purposes—one, slightly larger, was for the Clamperl colony, while the other, smaller one housed the Qwilfish.
The leaders of both colonies quickly yielded after Aoki's… persuasive negotiations.
After all, living in the Temple of the Sea had meant staying in a confined lake. Relocating here wasn't much different—if anything, the water here was just as energy-rich.
Soon, they adapted to their new home.
Once the leaders accepted the arrangement, the rest of their colonies followed suit without resistance. If their leaders were content, why should they object?
Besides, there was an added benefit to living here: Pokéblocks.
Aoki made sure they got a taste, promising that as long as they behaved, they'd receive more Pokéblocks periodically.
The primary-grade Pokéblocks weren't expensive, and compared to the resources these Pokémon provided, the cost was negligible.
Of course, Aoki had another motive—he wanted to collect from them.
Under his firm guidance, the Clamperl leader reluctantly surrendered the pearl it had treasured for years. Alongside the most exceptional one, there were several smaller pearls—still valuable, though not as much as the largest.
Then, one by one, Aoki released the Clamperl, exchanging their pearls for delicious Pokéblocks.
To the Clamperl, these pearls weren't particularly precious. They spent their days idly polishing them anyway.
Each Clamperl produced multiple pearls, and Aoki didn't take them all—only the most vibrant, high-quality ones. The underdeveloped ones remained inside, to be collected later.
After gathering pearls from over 500 Clamperl, Aoki had amassed:
1 Special-Grade Pearl (from the colony leader)
5 High-Grade Pearls (from five pseudo-Champion-level Clamperl)
20+ Top-Grade Small Pearls
Over 2,000 Standard Pearls
A staggering haul.
Next came the Qwilfish.
Having lived in the Seafloor Ruins for generations, they had no natural predators.
Who would dare attack a swarm of spiky, venomous Pokémon?
As a result, their spines had grown excessively long.
Aoki simply harvested them, turning them into usable Poison Barbs.
The toxin potency varied depending on the Qwilfish's strength, meaning the quality of the Poison Barbs differed as well.
The leader's spines were the most potent—Aoki kept those for his own team, equipping his Drapion and Gengar with them.
In total, he collected nearly 400 Poison Barbs of varying grades.
This initial harvest was a massive windfall.
Future yields might not match this quantity or quality, but they would be steady.